Our behavior usually is controlled and decided by us, but that is not always the case. As
we saw in the play Marty's behavior was not always his own decision. The behavior of any
person can be greatly manipulated by society. There are a few points in the play and in
normal life that can prove this statement is true. Marty's actions were greatly
influenced by the views of his family and friends. Marty was forced into many actions by
the people around him. A person will consider what other tells them as much as what they
believe in themselves.
Marty was always a quiet man that didn't like going out, it was his family and friends
that told him to do so. It was his decision, but it wasn't his choice. Marty did not want
to go anywhere yet he did just because his friends and family told him so. It is not
always easy to refuse such thing, Marty had to make a decision and decided he should go
out. By analyzing the pros and cons he made a decision, basing it on knowledge and
commonsense, after all going out is not a bad thing.
But what if there is no decision? What if the person is forced to do something that he
does not agree with? This can be blamed on the pressure of society as well, sometimes you
do something that you know you don't want just because someone is forcing you. Marty
showed such behavior many times throughout the play. It was not always a conscious
decision every time that Marty did what he did, he based many of his decisions just on
what his friends and family told him.
It is this play that made me think, that our decisions and choices are based on what we
think just as much as what others think. It is not always your choice and it is not
always what you want that you do. For example I am writing this essay because someone
told me so, and it is not my choice either to do it or not, I can decide if to do so but
that doesn't leave with other options. Some actions people do are subconsciously inputted
by society, that means that there was no specific someone that told you what to do, yet
you still do it because society has set this standard. This type of action can be seen in
anyone at every given day. It can range from the simpler things like dressing up, and
looking good all the way to doing well in school and working hard. All those decisions
are just influenced by society it is up to the person to decide if they benefit or not
from the action given.
I believe that society pressures everybody all the time, this is unavoidable and even
necessary. Like any other rules, people can not base all their actions on simply what
they themselves believe in. Still I believe that society must only provide advices
instead of provoking and causing actions. Because of the diversity of all the rules set
by society the person must ask themselves if they should act upon them. Marty did as
society said, sometimes with and sometimes with out clear decisions. This is how society
affected him but it is not like this for everybody.
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